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Program Visualization: Flowchart Layout Algorithms?

Lots of times asking LTU is more effective than searching the ACM database (ie you guys are awesome!): Does anyone know of papers about flowchart layout algorithms? This could also be called 'automatic flowchart generation'. I've reviewed several commercial packages and it seems there are two approaches:


1) generate the flowchart as a directed graph and then feed it to graphviz dot to create a hierarchical layout with flowchart symbols


2) use a proper (proprietary?) algorithm to generate an aesthetically pleasing (dot fails in this regard) flowchart.


Searching the ACM database for 'flowchart layout' is problematic because it returns a LOT of results. Is anyone familiar with this type of algorithm?

By markt at 2008-06-15 12:15 | LtU Forum | previous forum topic | next forum topic | other blogs | 11025 reads

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I finished searching the ACM

I finished searching the ACM and IEEE and didn't find anything so I created my own algorithm. After a couple of false starts, what I came up with seems pretty svelt if I do say so myself. However, the fact no one has ever published about this makes me think no one cares, or it's just not a hard problem?

By markt at Mon, 2008-06-16 21:45 | login or register to post comments

Did you ever publish?

Hi Mark,

I know the thread is pretty old but I was searching around and came to a similar dead end. Did you end up publishing your algorithms? If not could you share?

By mlalor at Mon, 2009-12-07 21:34 | login or register to post comments

No and depends

Contact me off list if you'd like to discuss further (removed at gmail).

By markt at Tue, 2009-12-08 13:20 | login or register to post comments

You might enjoy

You might enjoy flare/prefuse, though I don't know if they have flow chart specific visualizations.

By lmeyerov at Wed, 2009-12-09 02:40 | login or register to post comments

check out AT&T GraphViz dot

Sounds like maybe you're satisfied with your own algorithm, but maybe you would still be interested in AT&T GraphViz group's 'dot' program. It is a general directed graph layout program, not specific to flowcharts. Their documentation contains links to reserach on graph layout algorithms.

By bdenckla at Tue, 2008-06-17 17:45 | login or register to post comments